With reference to the electric and electronic sector, the manufacture is known of electronic devices consisting of several electronic boards suitably connected and assembled together on several levels.
In particular, the use is known and widespread of one or more distinct electronic boards dedicated to the electric control circuit and to the electric power circuit. In particular, in case of the separation of the control circuit from the power circuit, greater safety can be obtained for any operator working on the electronic boards.
In fact, the control circuit can this way work at a reduced safety voltage compared to the power circuit.
Generally speaking, the connection between the control logics of two electronic boards adjacent to one another is made by means of special control connectors, consisting e.g. of male and female DIN connectors which can be coupled together to permit the transmission of control signals.
Furthermore, the connection between electronic power circuits of two electronic boards adjacent to one another is done by means of special power connectors consisting e.g. of so-called “faston” connectors of the male and female type which can be coupled together to permit the passage of the power signal.
To electrically connect two boards that are not adjacent to one another instead, suitable connectors must be used, suitably fixed along respective perimeter portions of the electronic boards, connected together by means of a series of specific cables.
The result, therefore, is a series of cables extending outside the group of electronic boards, able to suitably connect all those boards not directly adjacent to one another.
The above procedures and devices of known type do however have a number of drawbacks.
In particular, the need to connect the electronic boards not directly adjacent to one another by means of a plurality of cables inevitably involves an increase in the complexity of the assembly procedure, as well as an extension of the total time required to complete the assembly itself.
Furthermore, the need to connect the electronic boards not directly adjacent to one another by means of a plurality of cables inevitably results in the greater possibility of connection errors occurring and, consequently, makes necessary the use of specific documentation suitable for guiding the operator during assembly and the electrical connection of the boards and/or the use of connectors of different type/colour so as to limit the possibility of errors.
A further limit is the fact that the use of connectors arranged in correspondence to one or more sections of the perimeter of the electronic boards inevitably results in a layout of the boards suitably studied to accommodate such connectors, with suitable spaces on the printed circuits dedicated to the connectors themselves.
The use of the cables, furthermore, in many cases involves the realization of excessively long paths, with the consequent generation of disturbances on the power signals.